In May 2013 the chemical hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD, was identified as a persistent organic pollutant (POP) under the international Stockholm Convention. This means that a worldwide ban on the sale and application of the chemical will soon become effective. For a long time HBCD was the most economically significant flame retardant used in polystyrene foam for insulation materials. We have compiled information about why the chemical will no longer be used, what transitional phases are likely to be in effect in the EU, what the alternatives are, and how to dispose of insulation materials which contain HBCD.

Helpful hints about our website?

The Umweltbundesamt

For our environment

The impact of climate change will be felt more strongly in the future – and in Germany too. This is the conclusion reached in what is called the vulnerability analysis, a comprehensive study on Germany's vulnerability to climate change.